2023 Conference Workshops
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE AT-A-GLANCE
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FEATURED WORKSHOP
What School Could Be
+Ted Dintersmith, Founder, What School Could Be
+Tom McManus, Head of School, Montgomery School, Chester Springs, PA
What is your school’s “Moonshot” aspiration? Building on the first night keynote by Ted Dintersmith, this Design Lab experience will capitalize on the unique nature of our Small Schools to build community and common cause as we imagine “What School Could Be” together. We will start with your current successes, add examples from our community, and incubate actionable practices and strategies. Participants will leave this session with a strategic understanding to help lead change, a framework for a customized and contextualized plan of action, and curated resources and tools. Experience the What School Could Be transformation model and understand how we accelerate, elevate, and amplify the individual successes of schools towards innovation in student-driven, real-world learning for ALL.
SESSION 1
Celebrating Learning: A Culminating Community Experience
+Liz Casey Searl, Co-Director,
+Kathryn Casey Quigley, Co-Director,
+Shannon Timoney, Director of Teaching and Learning
Peconic Community School, Aquebogue, NY
One of the cornerstones of our small school is the Celebration of Learning, a culminating experience for the entire community that takes place at the end of each trimester long integrated unit of study. Each year, Peconic Community School engages in trimester long thematic studies across the entire school, Early Childhood through Eighth grade. Over weeks and months students engage deeply in inquiry based learning around this topic, researching questions, learning about theories and phenomena, learning from experts, field work, and texts. Then the students embark on projects based on their learning. The projects range from artistic depictions, models, reports, performances, publications, podcasts, and more. Each class is then set up as if its a museum with learning exhibits. The community is invited in to witness the work that has occurred over the course of the trimester, and students present and share their learning, explaining in great detail their particular project and chosen focus. We would love to share how this works and what this looks like with conference participants. The benefits of this process are many, and small schools may consider adopting a similar tradition. The engagement, dedication and joy from each child in the process is remarkable. Students feel about the Celebration of Learning as if it is a holiday. And then there is the community experience, the connection they feel when visiting the school for this experience is so special, and they learn so much too. Meanwhile this is also an effective authentic assessment, as our students are able to share about their learning and projects we know they have mastered their topic of study. It is a lot of work, and engages everyone's creativity and productivity. But it is possible because we are small, we all pitch in, and it is worth it.
Exploring Handbook Omissions and Commissions that Lead to Emotionally Laden Litigation
+Katie Koestner, Executive Director, Campus Outreach Services
+Kevin Kunst, Head of School, Evansville Day School, Evansville, IN
Family and employee handbooks hold schools accountable in day-to-day practices and in courts of law. Are yours ready for scrutiny by legal eagles and disgruntled constituents? Key omissions, commissions and inartful language can result in substantial time and money costs. Learn how to audit your handbooks for improved clarity, mission-match, and communication. Strengthen your staff and identify metrics to dismiss weaker staff. Create a culture of awareness and consistency to best navigate complaints and withstand lawsuits.
Katie Koestner has consulted with thousands of independent schools in the areas of risk management and school safety. Kevin Kunst brings 29 years of independent school experience and leadership, having held almost every possible title in an independent school environment.
The Building Blocks of Small School Financial Health
+Brooke Carroll, Principal Consultant, Acies Strategies, MD
Small school administrators and board members often struggle to understand how to ensure the financial health of their schools. They spend time and effort on short-term issues at the expense of planning for and securing long-term success. Small schools often lack the resources and information needed to fully implement a sound, sustainable business plan. Many small school boards benefit from a specific roadmap to help them better understand the financial context of their school and how they can positively impact financial outcomes.
This 90-minute workshop lays out the steps boards and administrators can take, in partnership, to prepare board members to make strategic decisions regarding the finances of their school.
At the end of this workshop, small school administrators will be able to bring a framework for addressing their school’s financial health to their board and business manager in order to establish how to move forward with planning for financial success.
The One Person Admissions Office - How to Tackle the World!
+Antony Campitelli, CEO, Enquiry Tracker, Australia
In this session we will discuss strategies and resources for small admissions teams. We will discuss how small school admissions teams can succeed by leveraging their unique strengths, building relationships, and being intentional with their resources, and also review several effective strategies and resources small schools can utilize to attract and enroll students.
SESSION 2
A Small School Powered by Summer and Auxiliary Programs
+David Sullivan, Executive Director, Breakwater Learning, Portland, ME
+Nat Saltonstall, Executive Director, SPARC (Summer Program and Auxiliary Revenue Collaborative), Scottsdale, AZ
Small schools should not overlook the potential of auxiliary programming to advance their mission, support the school, and bolster a sustainable future. Using Breakwater School as a case study, this workshop will show how one small school of 160 students in Maine not only saved itself by investing in auxiliary programming but is thriving because of it. Breakwater’s auxiliary revenue accounts for 20% of its $4 million budget. In this workshop participants will learn what strategies Breakwater used and the lessons they learned. This case study will be presented within a context of national trends in auxiliary and summer programming in independent schools that may positively impact small schools. Participants will also learn about specific tools and resources that can help implement programs and inspire innovation.
And Then This Happened: Navigating Unexpected Emergencies & Expenses
+Matthew Bradley, Head of School
+Judy Corona-Karpowitz, Director of Development
Friends School Mullica Hill, Mullica Hill, NJ
This workshop will be about our experience at Friends School Mullica Hill of discovering the existence of mercury in our gym floor and everything we went through to remediate, rebuild, and reopen - including closing one building and consolidating the entire school into the other building; working with environmental experts, lawyers, and contractors; and communicating with families throughout - all while maintaining and growing enrollment. Oh, and did I mention there was a pandemic? The goal of the workshop is not just to tell our story but to present lessons learned. Other small schools won't necessarily have mercury in their gym but they may come across similar unexpected and potentially devastating circumstances that they will have to navigate.
Lessons from the Past Year: Tackling Post Pandemic Community Re-Engagement and Analyzing Outcomes
+Eric Jones, Head of School
+Beth Vaccaro, Director of Curriculum and Instruction
Community Partnership School, Philadelphia, PA
This session will offer participants an opportunity to reflect on how they and their school re-established connection across their school community as Covid-induced public health restrictions were lifted. We will use Community Partnership School's experience as a case study for examining 1) community re-engagement initiatives that worked - and didn't work - post social isolation, and 2) the impact of those efforts on the students, faculty and staff members, parents and guardians, and donors with whom we partner. Ample session time will be set aside for discussion so workshop participants should come prepared to speak to their individual experiences as together we unpack what we have been through the past year-plus and exchange tips we might apply in our individual settings.
The Time-Valued Master Schedule
+Allison Oakes, Head of School, Hillel Academy, Tampa, FL
Small budgets make it challenging to attract and retain quality teachers. Our schools just do not have the dollars to compensate our educators for what they are worth. Additionally, the recruitment of educators is getting even more difficult with the exodus of teachers from the field and colleges of education reporting record enrollment lows. At Hillel Academy, we looked at "Time" as a commodity and benefit and created the Time-Valued Master Schedule. In our Early Learning Center through 8th Grade school, we created a schedule that has educators teaching in their classrooms four days a week and from home one day a week: Students are in school all five days. The Teacher's 1-day-at-home day is a non-accountable day, meaning teachers may lesson plan, grade, communicate, participate in PD, go to a doctor's appointment, and practice self/mental care, etc. The goal is that teachers actually complete their work in their 40 hours of work each week and have their evenings and weekends for themselves, family, and friends.
Unleash Your Survey Superpowers! Creating Enrollment Surveys that Actually Work.
+Mason Sand, Director of Enrollment Management, Atrium School, Watertown, MA
Any worthy enrollment manager will tell you their plans and strategy are "data driven," but what does that even mean at a small school with very limited annual data and possibly only a few years of history? The enrollment survey is the industry standard for trying to measure variables and predict behavior of prospective families. The survey is a good tool, but it needs to evolve! This workshop will take you inside the "data dilemma," and show you how to create enrollment surveys that yields actionable data today! Every participant will leave with a renewed understanding of how to use surveys to inform and strengthen enrollment strategy at their school. Using humor, conversation, and specific examples, this workshop will lead participants through the process of analyzing and evaluating their own data-related decisions and practices.
SESSION 3
Communicating the effectiveness of experiential learning to traditional education loyalists
+Todd Ormiston, Executive Director, North Country School, Lake Placid, NY
+Elizabeth Davis, President, Boardman Davis Communications, South Burlington, VT
Todd and Elizabeth will provide attendees with a presentation that includes key aspects of communicating the many ways that experiential learning is more effective, engaging, and lasting than traditional teaching modalities. The immersive, hands-on style of experiential learning is proven to provide not only better information retention by students but also is shown to improve self-confidence, leadership skills, independence, and sense of community.
So how, as educators and educational institutions, do we help traditionally-educated parents to see the efficacy of this increasingly popular method of instruction?
The 60 minute presentation will be followed by a Q&A and discussion session.
Decoding Attrition: The Six Components of Parent Retention
+Jill Goodman, Jill Goodman Consulting, MD
Many independent schools saw a "pandemic enrollment boom," while others continued to struggle to enroll and retain students. You may be looking at the best enrollment numbers in years, or a high fail to yield rate for fall 2023 or perhaps a change in attrition numbers. How do you keep the students you have or work to improve the perception of your school? Through the results of many Attrition Studies conducted by Jill Goodman Consulting, participants will better understand parent and student behavior and why families choose to leave before graduation. That research resulted in the Six Components of Parent Retention, a framework of in-depth questions about the program and the school’s parent experience. Participants will use that as an opportunity for self-reflection, assessment, and considering strategy to retain all those new families or set your school up to attract the students you want. Learn how to create productive conversations within the faculty and administrative team because of new and unexpected enrollment changes.
Leading a Small School in Uncertain Times: Fostering Resilience, Building Strength, Minimizing Turbulence
+Edward B. Hollinger, Interim Head of School, Emerson School, Ann Arbor, MI
This workshop will provide you with the opportunity to learn what the research says about leadership in times of stress, anxiety, and rapid change. We’ll identify the competencies necessary for navigating the turbulence as well as the potential blockers that can get in the way of our successful navigation. We’ll conclude with an opportunity for you to design strategies to lead your small leadership teams through these difficult times with strength, resilience and thoughtful guidance.
Why What We Do Works: Simple Approaches Build Healthy Classroom Cultures
+Anne B. Cass, Eileen (Lee) Dieck, Bridget Gwinnet, Timothy Leet & David Streight
Heart of Character, Columbus, OH
Educators often recognize that certain things they do in their classrooms are transformative. In this interactive presentation, the Heart of Character team will introduce practical steps that help students engage more in their learning and become more intrinsically motivated. Decades of research have demonstrated that attending to basic psychological needs–in the classroom, in the dorm, on the playing field, in the cafeteria–improves outcomes and overall well-being for students and adults alike. Small schools are perfectly suited to approaches like these; simple to implement and low in cost, they capitalize on our continued work to build strong relationships for enhanced learning.
Participants will learn about the basic needs essential to internalizing motivation, and learn techniques everyone can use in supporting them. Our goal is that participants become familiar with these concepts, examine their own professional practice, and develop specific plans to bring back to their schools.
SESSION 4
Leading the New Workforce Under the Influence of Social Media
+Stephanie Borges Folarin, Head of School, Wye River Upper School, Centreville, MD
This 90-minute presentation delves into the impact of social media on post-Covid small schools and the skills required to lead and manage a workforce influenced by it. It aims to equip small school leaders with the skills needed to manage a workforce that increasingly relies on social media for communication, collaboration, and networking.
The presentation begins with an overview of the evolution of social media and its impact on society. Then a discussion about how social media has revolutionized communication and interaction will ensue. We will historically map how social media has become integral to our personal and professional lives. Then we will pull apart the specific challenges small school leaders face when managing a workforce heavily influenced by social media. We will stress the importance of building strong relationships with employees, understanding their needs and concerns, and being open to feedback.
Networks of Support: Supporting the Rising Tide of Student Anxiety & Depression in Small Schools
+Beth Venable, MS, LPC, CAS, Head of School, Hampshire Country School, Rindge, NH
+Rebekah Jordan, M.Ed., CDVC, Founder and Therapeutic Consultant, Crossbridge Education Consulting
As small schools, we pride ourselves on being nurturing, safe communities. And yet, our size often means we don’t have the resources to staff a full counseling department. With the rising numbers of students experiencing neurodevelopmental delays and differences, anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges, small schools need to think creatively about how to build networks of internal and external support to meet these needs.
This session will focus on:
Sharing an overview of the continuum of treatment for child and adolescent mental health so participants are better prepared to support families at any point in the process, including how to support students when issues don’t need to be treated clinically.
Normalizing emotions as a “data point” and helping students learn how to respond to feelings with curiosity and intention.
Collaborating on creative ways to build networks of support that don’t require hiring in-house clinicians, including: Practices for seeing beyond “diagnoses” to address actual student needs. Working with therapeutic consultants to help families find appropriate resources, avoid or address crises, and take the burden off school staff for needing to make appropriate recommendations. Using local mental health resources to support parents and teachers through partnership workshops. Connecting with local universities for partnership and training opportunities. Training teachers in “Mental Health First Aid.”
Running a Lean School Administration
+Dominique Mouthon, Co-founder/CEO, Clever Education Solutions, NC
The Lean Manufacturing principles have made Toyota the most successful automobile manufacturer in the world. How can "Lean Manufacturing principles" apply to our schools? After a brief introduction to the Lean principles, we will explore how our school administrations can be transformed by adopting such approach. In this interactive and practical workshop, attendees will leave with concrete information that can be implemented right away.
Prior to starting Clever Education Solutions in 2020, Dominique spent decades as head of school at Adams Montessori School in Quincy, MA, and at Follow the Child Montessori School in Raleigh, NC. She led the two schools through significant growth and a successful capital campaign for the building of their 18,000 sq. ft. purpose-built facility.
Belongingness and the Bottom Line: Building a School Culture that Also Supports Financial Operations
+Zach Verriden, Head of School, The Academy Hill School, Springfield, MA
Building a culture of belongingness is vital to student self-actualization, academic success and all around school culture. On that point, few school leaders would disagree. However, few small school leaders prioritize belongingness to support the financial success of the school, as well. Small schools have small budgets and few dollars to devote to marketing efforts geared toward student recruitment and retention. Yet the most powerful recruitment tool that Heads of School have at their disposal costs very little: word of mouth. Come learn some relatively simple, cost effective practices to build belongingness into your school culture and create stark raving fans of your current families which will bolster your student retention and recruitment efforts. Belongingness supports student retention and that is the first step in a healthy enrollment pipeline. Not only will you learn belongingness best practices for your current families, you will discuss positive recruitment practices that foster ownership and belongingness that you can bring back to your small school. The session will be led by Zach Verriden, Head of School at the Academy Hill School in Springfield, MA. In his first year at The Academy Hill School, Verriden improved annual student retention from 70% to 98% and increased enrollment by 20% in his first year at Academy Hill.
Prior to serving as the Head of School at Academy Hill, Verriden was the Executive Director for a private network of schools in Milwaukee, WI, growing enrollment from 1,500 to 3,000 students in four years.